The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-03-09
THE INDIAN COMMISSIONERS.
a Ioilsome and Adventurous Trip
The Work They have Done and Their
Future Plans,
Helena, Montana INDEPENDENT, Feb. %.

Ss6fO ridnSs
Helena, Montana Independent, Feb. %.
Hon. John V. Wright, DR.. j. w. Daniels
and Major G. f. Larrabee, of the Northwest
Indian commission, returned to this city on
Sunday evening from the northern country,
experiencing their first pleasant sleigh ride,
in a journey of over 1900 miles by this mode
of con veyance. The trip on Sunday was
from Flat Greek, sixty miles, and was made
in about twelve hours.
The experience of these gentlemen during
the last sixty days in their negotiations with
the Indians of northern Montana is pretty
well known to our readefs, the same having
been published from time to time in the col
umns of this paper, but the personal exprei-
ences of the commission, the perls, hard
ships and difficulties under which they have
labored have never been told, and indeed 1t
would be difficult matter for the inexperi-
enced to fully appreciate them.
Since the early part of December the COM
missioners have Travelled over 1900 miles in
open sleighs, and this in the midst of a win.
ter unprecedented In point of severity in the
history Of the Northwest. Storms and bliz-
yards in rapid succession have met them in
every step of their progress, notwithstanding
which they have pursued their journeys at
times when all other travel, public or pri-
vate was suspended. 1t may be doubted if
ever in the history of the country, public
officers, acting in a civil capacity, have will
inglylencountered such perils in the dischage
Of duty as these gentlemen have seen. In
spite of the obstacles presented they have
continued to travel from point to point, when
old and experienced settlers have predicted
failure The thermometer during the peri
cd alluded to has varied from zero to 60 de-
grees below. In their voyage they have
passed numbers of abandoned freight wag-
ons, sleighs and other vehicles, whose own
ers had barely escaped with their lives, leay-
ing their stock to take its chances. Stage
drivers and others attempting to pass over
the same routes pursued by these commits
sloners have been frozen and lost their limbs
Duringa portion of their travel, twelve miles
In as many hours was considered a success
ful journey. The upsetting of the sleighs
and rolling down entertainments was not an
uncommon occurrence, when not only the
commissioners themselves went down, but
the baggage had to be brought back through
the deep snow from the bottom. In the
midst of a scene like this it is incredible al
most, that the rolling over and over of a hu-
man being. weighing over 225 pounds to the
bottom Of coulee excited uproarious
laughter. On every side the effects of the
cold were to be seen in dead and dying cat
tie from one end of the country to the other.
1t may be asked why this commission
should undergo all this? What great mo-
tive had they to force them onP In the first
place they were endeavoring to carry out
faithfully and honestly the work assigned
them. They beheld in Dakota and northern
Montana territory larger than many of the
larger States OF this Union lying unoccupied
and yalueless either to the Indians or to the
whites. They desired to place the former
on more sure foundation of self support
and to open to the industry and enterprise of
tne Iatter region OF country now ready for
Improvement. How well and faithfully they
have performed both duties is seen in the
TACT that they have reserved for the red man
sufficient lands for his own wants and for
those OF his children; have provided for his
support and gradual independence. and have
opened 70 the worthy, enterprising and pat
rlotlc citizens of the United States nearly
2O.OOO,O 600 acres of land. The commissioners
feel that they have not been unrewarded for
their labOrs. They feel that they have done
their duty and their whole duty to the Indi-
ans and to the country, and it is now left to
Congress to complete the work. The COM
missloners are enthusiastic in their praise of
the military commanders, Gen. Brooke, COM
manding the district of Montana, Major
Hunt, commanding at Fort Assnaboine,
Col. Crofton at Fort Buford, and Col. Whea.,
ton at Fort Peck, for valuable aid in afford
ing transportation and other cOurtesieS as
well as to the citizens of Helena, Benton.
Choteau, Sun River Crossing and Dupuyer
AOl aiudblC dSoiobdLCc dtlQ uUSplIdllLleS.
Though the commissioners have seen Mon
tana In period of its greatest trial, they ex-
press the opinion that its great resources, ag-
ricultural, grazing and mineral, when prop
erly developed, will place it in the front
rank OF prosperity, ard that ere long it will
take position among the sisterhood of
States as one of the proudest and most pros
porous members of the Union.
The commissioners also speak admiringly
OF their guide, Adolph Rocnsch, who is the
t0V0rlfa gQnIf n ot,d
signed by him to the commissioners They
found him skilled in all the knowledge Of
the prairies and the weather; tireless. pa
tient, imperturbable and strictly reliable,
through the greatest hardships for his party
-shovelling roads, exploring pathways.
walking mile after mile in long detours to
make sure of the best places by which to at
tempt the:passage., Only once after starting
for a given point did he give his voice to
turn back and that was at Dupuyer when
nearly three hours had been consumed in
making half mile through the snow. Once
while tolling along, beguiling the time with
e0niHyersansion Judge Wright said to the
when alone, you met something in this track
less wild that you knew to be the devil him
sel?" we'll" said the undisturbed Roensch,
II have some good yisky, ask him will he
The commissioners, before leaving Helena,
will send him some sort of testimonial of
their appreciation.
The history of the work accomplished in
Montana by the commissioners has been suf-
fciently detailed in these columns. Unless
directed to visit and treat with the Crows
their work in the territory is at an end
Their reports have been forwarded to Wash
lngton and are ready to be acted upon by
Congress. The treaty with the Bfackfeet
was dispatched by special messenger within
two hours, from the time it was signed
There is absolutely nothing to prevent Con-
gress from intelIigently acting upon all the
treaties, so far made before it adjourns
From here the commissioners will go to
Washington territory--irst to the Coilville |
agency by way. of Spokane. They have much |
work to do In that territory in the way of |
settling claims and otherwise adjusting In |
Major Larrabee will not go with them. He |
returns to Washington and his colleagues |
part with him with the utmost regret, as he |
has been co-laborer and coadjutor with the
other commissioners in every sense of the |
word, "a well as a most pleasant companion,
His place is now taken by Mr. Andrews of
Auburn, New York, who will proceed west
ward with Messrs. Wright and Daniels.